Notes

n.1D, S: shrI de bI kA li pra ma rA dza tan+tra kA li; F: ShrI de wa ka pra sraM ra ca tan tra ka li. There is no known attestation of the Sanskrit title for this text. In the Tibetan transliteration of the Sanskrit title, we have tentatively emended pra ma to praśaṁsā to reflect a common Sanskrit correlate to the Tibetan term bstod pa. The Tibetan transliteration also includes the term kA li (kāli) at the end of the Sanskrit title, but as this appears to be an error it has been removed.

n.2For a presentation of Śrīdevī Kālī and the relationship between the texts in the Kangyur that focus on this protector, see the introduction in Praising the Lady Who Rules Disease (nad kyi bdag mo la bstod pa, Toh 1090/1777).

n.3For another discussion of this textual relationship, see the introduction in Praising the Lady Who Rules Disease (nad kyi bdag mo la bstod pa, Toh 1090/Toh 1777).

n.4Tarthang Tulku 1982, p. 273.

n.5Tib. bdud kyi ma. Elsewhere she is always named “the wife of the demon” (bdud kyi yum). For details see Praising the Lady Who Rules Disease, i.3.

n.6D, S: gzhan gyi lan chags gnod pa’i rkyen dang ldan; F: gzhan gyi lan chags gnod pa’i rkyen dang bral. This translation is tentative and follows F, which is also supported by the reading in the Nyingma Gyübum.

n.7D: ma byin len spangs tshul la; F, H, N, S: ma byin len pa’i tshul la. This translation follows the reading in F, H, N, and S.

n.8D, S: dang po’i sa las; F: dang po’i las la. The English translation follows D and S. This line refers to the first stage of the path of accumulation, not the first bodhisattva ground (sa, bhūmi), which is the result of completing the path of seeing (mthong lam, darśanamārga), not the basis for the path of accumulation.

n.9D, S: spros dang spros med don dam dbyings kyis bsdus; F: spros dang spros med don dam gnyis kyis bsdus. This translation, which follows D and S, is tentative.

n.10F, H, K, S: bstod; D: bskyod. This translation follows F, H, K, and S.

n.11Here we understand dbyings to be short for chos kyi dbyings and in this context to refer to the appearance of the various phenomena of conventional reality.

n.12D, S: rtags kyi sku mdog dkar mo shin tu dngas; F: rtags kyi sku mdog dkar zhing rab tu dngas This translation is tentative.

n.13D: ’di ltar ’dzin nyid cir yang snang ba ni; F, H: ’di ltar mtshan nyid cir yang snang ba ni; S: ji ltar ’dzin nyid cir yang snang ba ni. This translation follows F and H.

n.14This translation is tentative.

n.15D: rdzon gi dka’ zlog ma. This epithet clearly evokes Kālī’s appearance in the form of Durgā (dka’ zlog ma), but it also appears to refer to the story mentioned below in this text where Kālī is said to have provided a fortress for the gods when the gods and asuras were at war.

n.16This translation is tentative.

n.17This translation is tentative.

n.18D: dbu ma’i sa. This translation is tentative.

n.19D: dpal lha mo nag mo; C, F, H J, K, N, S, Y: dpal lha mo. This translation follows C, F, H, J, K, N, S, and Y in omitting nag mo ( kālī ).

n.20D: re ma dzu; C, J: re ma ’dzi; F, H, K, Y: re ma ti; N: re ma Ti; S: na ma ti.

n.21D: rgyal ba’i don yang thugs chud khyod nyid la; C, J, K, Y: rgyal ba’i don spangs thugs chud khyod nyid la; F: rgyal ba’i dgongs pa thugs chud khyod nyid la N, S: rgyal ba’i don yangs thugs chud khyod nyid la. This translation follows D, but the wide variation across sources suggests that other interpretations may be viable.

n.22D, F: gdod nas gnyis med bde chen ma rtogs par; H, N, S: gdod nas gnyis med bde chen ma gtogs par. This translation follows D.

n.23D, F: khyod la brten nas thams cad ltung bar ’gyur; H, N, S: khyod la brten nas thams cad ltung bar ’gyur. This translation follows D.

n.24The translation of this passage is tentative.

n.25D: rgyal po mang po; C, F, H, J, N, K, S, Y: rgyal ba mang po. This translation follows C, F, H, J, N, K, S, and Y.

n.26D: mjal; H, K, N, Y, S: mol; F] rol. This translation follows D.

n.27For details on the meaning and origin of these three epithets of Kālī, see Praising the Lady Who Rules Disease, i.3.

n.28This translation is tentative.

n.29This passage spoken by Yama makes up the entirety of Praising the Lady Who Rules Disease (Toh 1090/1777). Though there is some variation between Toh 1090 and this text, likely due to separate histories of editorial revision, the content is largely the same. Whereas Toh 1090/1777 is presented in consistently metrical lines of verse, a metrical structure is only hinted at here in Toh 671. Therefore, in this English translation we have opted to render this passage in prose rather than alternate between verse and prose in the uneven manner suggested by the text.

n.30We have emended khyod la ni to khyod nyid ni as suggested by the version of the text preserved in the Nyingma Gyübum. This line is not reported in Toh 1090/1777.

n.31D: rkang pa’i gos ni ko rlon mtshan pas drangs pas. This translation is tentative.

n.32D: lha rnams dang ni ’gro ba ma lus ’jug brtul bas na; F: lha rnams dang ni ’gro ba ma lus ’jug sdug bsngal gnas nas; C, J, K, Y: lha rnams dang ni ’gro ba ma lus mjug brtul bas; H, N: lha rnams dang ni ’gro ba ma lus pa rnams ’jug phyir rab rtul bas; S: lha rnams dang ni ’gro ba ma lus pa rnams ’jug phyir rab brtul bas. This translation follows C, J, K, and Y.

n.33D: lha chen sku dang ’tsham par bzhugs pa’i dka’ zlog. In Praising the Lady Who Rules Disease, 1.7, this line reads “You are present as half of Mahādeva’s body” (lha chen sku yi phyed du bzhugs).

n.34D, S: spyan mig mthong na mi sdug kun du sdang; F: spyan mig ’thong na kun tu sngag; Y: spyan mig mi sdug kun du sdang / dad cing tshogs pa’i mi rnams sdud. Because the reading in D and S is hypermetrical, this tentative translation follows the reading in Y.

n.35D, S: tshig dbang ’jig rten mgon po ’dra. This translation is tentative.